Question

Pluto has been hard to measure from Earth because of its atmosphere. In 2007 Young, Young, and Buie measured Pluto as having a diameter of 2322 km. In 2015 the New Horizons probe reached Pluto and measured it up close and we now know the actual diameter is 2372 km. What was the percent error of the 2007 measurement?

Answer 1

2.15% was the percent error of the 2007 measurement.

Explanation:

To calculate the percentage error, we use the equation:

`\%\text{ error}=\frac{|\text{Experimental value - Theoretical value}|}{\text{Theoretical value}}* 100`

We are given:

Experimental value of diameter of Pluto ,2015= 2372 km

Theoretical value of diameter of Pluto, 2007 = 2322 km

Putting values in above equation, we get:

`\%\text{ error}=(|2372 km-2322 km|)/(2322 km)* 100\\\\\%\text{ error}=2.15\%`

Hence, 2.15% was the percent error of the 2007 measurement.